A few months back I started keeping a 'Gratitude Journal' so that I could write down all the wonderful things in my life that I appreciate, and describe the reasons why. Things like: eyes to see and skin to feel and a mind to think.

And I know that many people are going through bad things all the time. Now. Tragedies, war, famine, flood, fire, loss, devastation, disappointment. So I think the recent Facebook challenge of tagging friends and asking them to list 3 things they are grateful for each day for a week has cropped up as a way to counteract all the terrible things and injustices (thanks Magenta Wise for tagging me!)

And it can work. It can. Though it can't stop the tragedies unfortunately. Not yet.

I'm a believer in The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, and as a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, a few months ago I received some special insights from the book, the first of which was about 'Counting your Blessings' (simple gratitude by another name.)

The premise of The Secret is in magnetising and manifesting positivity in life by tuning into the frequency of happiness, joy and fulfilment NOW, bringing good things about for yourself and others by the power of positive thoughts, actions and beliefs.

And I get it. And I believe. And so I thought I would focus on a whole week of gratitude and thankfulness and 'counting my blessings' to share with everyone else who is taking this challenge.

Usually I would write 10 things for each day that I write in my gratitude journal (though I don't manage to write it every day), but instead here is a week of 3x7 = 21 things that I am so wonderfully grateful for:

Books. The touch and feel of books. And the revealing of their knowledge contained inside.

The ability to think and decide and plan (or not!)

Photography. Viewing things through a lense. Art filters. The alchemy of analogue.

Warmth and cosiness at home as the nights draw in. Blankets. Candles.

The sun on my face in the morning.

It was so easy to write this list because as I already said, there are so many things to be grateful for in this life. It's a nice ritual to appreciate the good and great things as they happen and as you go along. It also helps to remember what they were or identify them in the first place.

And although it might sound new-agey or strange, I believe in the power of fate and timing and synchronicity and The Secret.

Let's all make sure we are grateful for the things we love and cherish in our life. Simple things. Happy things. Big things. Small things. It costs nothing to be grateful.